Customer Reviews

Making Miracles Happen

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Phenomenal and uplifting. That's how I would describe Smith's book. I purchased this book because I was diagnosed with a brain tumor last year, at age 22. A craniotomy and a long recovery behind me, I'm still left with part of the tumor, seizures, and daily medication. Smith's book not only led me through what he was going through physically and emotionally, so that I did not feel so alone, but it showed the other side: hope. Through many personal stories of people who had diseases ranging from emphysema to AIDS, amyloidosis to stroke, Smith shows the strength and power that hope, positive thinking, and an attitude of "I'm not giving up!" has had on these fighters. This book made me see that no matter how bad I think things are for me, someone is going through worse, but with a better attitude! Everybody knows someone suffering from a chronic disease. I recommend this book for sufferers and their families. Not only helpful emotionally, it is helpful practically, in showing that getting that second, or third, or fourth opinion may make the difference between not only horrible aftereffects of a surgery, but life and death. Most of all, this book leaves its readers with the message of "Don't give up!" I know I won't.

I can relate to this great book!See,in 2001,Iwas suffering from an infection of the upper respiratory tract.Next thing I know,Iwake up.IN THE HOSPITAL.I had a seizure.No big deal.What happened next was:While having my seizure,I sustained a burst fracture of L1 vertebra.A spinal cord injury.My neurologist said I would never walk again.So of course,I was bummed.My mother,though,would hear none of it.She told me that these doctors are not God.They do not decide your fate.Only you do.Therefore,I decided to work my butt off in rehab.

Here it is 5 years later.Am I walking?Yes!Not only that I walk as well as I did before I got hurt.I work 2 jobs and generally lead a full life.

Mr.Smith's book says all the things I feel.The fight against self pity.The realization that your life will never be the same again.The hard work after.The nature of hospitals.The angels in one's life(my mother comes to mind as does the rest of my family and some good friends).

I feel like I was with him the whole time I read the book.I related to all of the stories he cites.I especially like his line that doctors are like weathermen.I say it all the time.They are NOT God...and I myself am a podiatrist.

Although the titles oozes with sap, Smith's book is full of original and interesting takes on the state of modern medicine as it concerns chronic and extremely life-threatening diseases. Especially relevant, I think, are his comments about being active in choosing doctors, doing your own research, and not simply accepting physicians' opinions as divine kernels of wisdom. Unfortunately, like many books in this genre, the writing tends toward the glib; patients' stories are seamlessly intercut with an enormous variety of material, from quotes from the relevant literature to interviews with leading research scientists. Good reading, though.

I am in the process of reading this book. I just finished reading Chapter 3, A Doctor Is a Doctor Is . . . The information in this chapter is extremely important. It applies to all technical fields.

This book should be required reading in High ?School...it let's the reader know how and when to use healthcare options, and how important it is to control one's healthe care and destiny.